Consistency of Hand Use and Accidents with Injury

Abstract

In this study, we examined the relationship between the consistency of hand use and the self-reported incidence of accidents with injuries which required medical care in groups of university students (n = 23 for each group). To do this, we adopted a scoring procedure for the Briggs-Nebes Handedness Scale that permitted us to classify individuals as consistent or inconsistent in the use of their hands. We observed that the inconsistent group was 6.12 times more likely to have experienced accidents with injury that required medical care than the consistent group. These data have implications for the literature on handedness classification and accidents. Collectively, these limited data underscore the need to pay attention to the consistency of hand use in research on handedness, health, and longevity.